Puntarenas, Costa Rica: Coral Princess cruiser needs advice

[cr8tiv1]

I am leaving on the Coral Princess (2/14/2012) going Northbound (LA to FLL). I am torn between three tours in Puntaranas:

 

Odyssey Tours

 

The itinerary of the tour:

8:30am pick up time in Puntarenas port.

First stop to enjoy sugar cane juice and some other local spicies and fruits.

Second stop to see crocodiles on the Tarcoles river from the safety of the bridge.

10am Enjoying Punta Leona beach, swimming, hiking through beach and forest spotting scarlet macaws, raccoons and other nice birds.

11:30am visiting Villa Caletas amphitheater to enjoy the breathtaking ocean views, spotting toucans.

12:15pm Visiting Santa Lucia village, colonial village surrounded of rain forest and with shopping markets.

1:00pm Enjoying Lunch at local rice and beans food and also best fresh seafood.

2:00pm Stop to see monkeys on their natural habitat.

2:30pm Stop at grocery store for coffee and vanilla.

3:00pm Puntarenas city tour.

3:30pm Drop off in Puntarenas dock.

Rate: 70 USD per person for a minimum of 6 people

 

Monteverde Cloud Forest, Train Ride & Lunch

 

PA4-605 | Puntarenas, Costa Rica | See Special Notes

 

 

from $99.00*

*Price displayed in US Dollars unless otherwise noted; excursions priced in other currencies may be available on select voyages only. Prices are based on the amount Princess typically charges for each excursion, but your price may vary by voyage date and departure time. Tour at a Glance

 

Excursion Length:

Approx. 8.5 hours

 

Tour Overview

 

Young and old will enjoy this gentle ride through the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a nature reserve that boasts more than 3,000 species of animals and plants, on a small vintage train. Your spectacular day starts with a scenic narrated ride bus ride through the Costa Rican countryside, where you will pass rural farm communities and sweeping coffee plantations.

 

Upon arrival at Monteverde, you will immediately be struck by the abundance of lush vegetation, which is now totally accessible by the vintage-style train you will be riding through the jungle. This small train and railway course were specifically designed to make the trip inside the jungle an enjoyable and safe one. Two beautiful trains, each with three coaches, are mini replicas of the original locomotives used in the western United States in the mid-1800s. They are custom-built in Stratford-on-Avon, England, by Severn-Lamb, a company that builds classic trains for theme parks around the world. The first part of your stunning train ride takes you over four bridges and through a tunnel specially designed for the train. Along the way, you will notice how the scenery changes as you travel deeper into the forest, and up to a rustic railway station that doubles as a spectacular lookout point in the middle of the forest.

 

Stopping here for a photo-opportunity, you may be able to see the Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica's most active volcano. At the station, you will also decide whether or not to take part in the optional hike along the forest trail, where during the months of November through May, it is possible to see one of Monteverde's most majestic birds, the Resplendent Quetzal.

 

Returning by train to the reserve's main station, you will then enjoy a delicious home-made buffet lunch of typical Costa Rican dishes. Before the return drive to port, through the glorious countryside, you will have plenty of time to browse the local shops that carry many environmentally-friendly gifts.

 

 

Rainforest Sky Walk, Pura Vida Gardens & Lunch

 

PA4-365 | Puntarenas, Costa Rica |

 

from $129.00*

*Price displayed in US Dollars unless otherwise noted; excursions priced in other currencies may be available on select voyages only. Prices are based on the amount Princess typically charges for each excursion, but your price may vary by voyage date and departure time. Tour at a Glance

 

Excursion Length:

Approx. 8 hours

 

 

 

Tour Overview

 

 

The day begins with an enjoyable, scenic drive to the Tropical Forest Sky Walk which is located near the boundary of Carara Biological Reserve. Here you will have the opportunity to connect to nature as you explore this incredible wonderland. You will be offered a tropical fruit juice at Villa Lapas and have time to look around the shop, before meeting your English-speaking naturalist guide. Starting with a short, easy walk, you will arrive at the first of three suspended cable bridges; each bridge stretches between 270 and 330 feet, and all skim the top of the spectacular rainforest up to 126 feet above the ground.

 

During the hike, which lasts just over an hour, you will be able to drink in the sights of the forest below and around you, as you walk along ground trails before reaching the next bridge or air trail. Discover the marshlands of the Tarcoles River from your lofty perch, and then take in the ocean views in the distance as you meander through the stunning walkways. Your guide will point out any wildlife, which could include several species of birds, monkeys, butterflies and other mammals that inhabit the area. After the walk concludes, continue on to the Pura Vida Gardens, one of the most spectacular private gardens in Costa Rica. Boasting beautifully manicured gardens, you will notice that they are also bordered by one of the tallest waterfalls in the country.

 

Pura Vida is home to over 60,000 flowering plants, including 60 varieties of heliconia, ten varieties of ginger, and orchids. Look for butterflies, macaws, parrots, parakeets, toucans, kingfishers, birds of prey, and waterfowl. After your tour, enjoy a well-deserved traditional lunch served in the garden restaurant, then browse the gift shop for souvenirs before heading back to port.

 

If you have done any of these tours, I would love to hear from you.

 

Thank you, Renee

[Nukesailor]

We did the Rainforest Sky Walk, Pura Vida Gardens and lunch excursion. It was one of the best we've taken. Monkeys, crocs, poison dart frogs and toucans, not to mention beautiful flowers and plants in a setting with lots of mist. Keep in mind this is actually a cloud forest. We also encountered the rain, but it's all part of the experience. One warning, some of the trail was very steep and muddy, also part of the experience. Some photos from the trip:

 

The sky walk is actually suspension bridges between two ridges, going across the valley.

IMG_7257 by Nukesailor, on Flickr

 

Our guide found this green-black poison dart frog. He accidently let it touch his hand and started to lose feeling in the hand.

IMG_7266 by Nukesailor, on Flickr

 

Lots of toucans in the trees.

IMG_7332 by Nukesailor, on Flickr

 

The gardens are extensive, with many flowers and plants, including orchids. The mist added to the beauty.

IMG_7343 by Nukesailor, on Flickr

 

While the paths in the gardens are well maintained, they are steep and very slippery when wet, which is most of the time.

IMG_7356 by Nukesailor, on Flickr

 

It was a long day, but worth it.

 

Art

[cr8tiv1]

Thank you for your beautiful pictures. I did make the change to this tour and hope to have as much success as you did.

 

Renee